How to Reglaze Saltillo Tiles

by Denise Brown

Handmade clay Saltillo tiles offer a rustic appearance to your home. Because these tiles are very porous, you must keep a glaze on them to seal out dirt and oil that might stain them. Unless the floor has a lot of foot traffic, you won’t need to perform this task very often. When you notice that water no longer beads on the tiles when you clean them, it’s time to strip the old glaze off the tiles and apply a new coating.

Remove the Old Glaze

1

Spray a dust mop with a dust remover designed to help the mop pick up more dust. Clean the floor with a clean dust mop.

2

Shake the stripping product well. Open windows in the room to allow for adequate ventilation. Put on rubber gloves. Apply a small amount of the product in a corner of the room to make sure it isn’t going to discolor the Saltillo tiles as it removes the old glaze. Let the stripper set for a few minutes, then wipe it up with an old rag. Rinse the area. Check to see if it removed the old glaze by placing a few drops of water on the floor. If they bead, there’s still glaze left. Repeat the process, allowing the stripper to set long enough to remove the glaze. Rinse the area again.

3

Apply stripper to a six- to 10-foot square section of the room, starting at the farthest corner from the door. Use an old paintbrush or a garden sprayer to apply the stripper. Do not overlap brush strokes or spray pattern. Let the stripper set on the Saltillo tiles for 10 to 20 minutes.

4

Scrape the stripper off the surface of the tiles with a wide-bladed putty knife. Place the used stripper gel into an old metal container so you can dispose of it when you finish. If the putty knife doesn’t remove all the glaze, wipe the area with a coarse steel wool pad dipped in paint thinner or water.

5

Wipe the deglazed area with a rag dipped in paint thinner. Dry the area with a second, dry rag.

6

Repeat the process of removing glaze section by section in the room until all the glaze is off the floor.

7

Mop the floor with clean water. Allow it to dry thoroughly.

Reglaze Saltillo Tile

1

2

Dip the pad into the glaze and spread the glaze in a thin coat over a section of tiles. Repeat until you cover the entire floor with the first coat of glaze. Try not to get any bubbles or foam on the surface as you work. Let this coat dry one to three hours before proceeding.

3

Coat the floor with a second layer of glaze. Allow this layer to dry one to three hours.

4

Apply a third coat of glaze. You are done applying glaze when the product no longer darkens the tile. Let the last coat set overnight before allowing minimal foot traffic on it. For best results, let it dry for 72 hours before walking on it. It may take up to two weeks for the glaze to cure and harden to its final state.

Things You Will Need

Dust mop

Dust remover

Rubber gloves

Clean rags

Old paintbrush

Garden sprayer

Floor stripper

Wide-bladed putty knife

Old metal container

Coarse steel wool pad

Paint thinner

Mop

Long-handled floor wax applicator and pads

Painter's pan

Saltillo glaze

Tip

If you want your Saltillo tiles to have extra shine, apply two coats of floor polish two days after you finish glazing the tiles.

About the Author

Denise Brown is an education professional who wanted to try something different. Two years and more than 500 articles later, she's enjoying her freelance writing experience for online resources such as Work.com and other online information sites. Brown holds a master's degree in history education from Truman State University.

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